CONFIRMATION MINISTRY AT PEACE
Dear Parents of Confirmation Students for 2005-2006 (or
those considering it);
One of my great pleasures as a pastor is to be able to
spend the time with our young people in the study of the
Christian faith. My personal goal is to share the Joy of
being a Christian, that they might better understand the
miracle of faith that the Lord has given them in their
Baptism.
You yourselves know the precious gift that is your child. I
know you pray each day for guidance from the Lord as to how
you are to rightly raise them in the path that follows
Jesus. It is very difficult indeed in these evil days! Let
us pray that we can together make the most of each
opportunity to share the merciful gift of Christ’s
life and salvation with them - so that on the Last Day they
might be counted as having been faithful to it!
I want to emphasize that I so deeply desire that your child
can participate in the Confirmation process of molding your
child more and more into the image of God. It is a great
privilege. But I also want to share with you that this is
no small commitment from you. To be a Christian is a
continuously life inspiring and life changing experience.
Your own faith as a parent will be constantly challenged as
you make decisions on what is the most important thing in
your life as a Christian family. There will be many
distractions and many disappointments. Sometimes you will
choose wrongly. You will do the wrong thing. Who will save
you from your sin? Who will forgive you? Jesus will! And He
will also pick you up by the hand (or carry you) and give
you the strength and faith to continue on! I pray that over
the next year the only person who grows more in faith
toward God than your child - is you! May God truly bless
you!
The Basis for Our Ministry:
The basis for our Confirmation Ministry is not any Biblical
command for confirmation as such, but rather the clear
command of Jesus: Go and make disciples of all people by
baptizing them...[and] by teaching them... (Matthew
28:18-20). In obedience to His command we teach, instruct,
guide and counsel our baptized youth in the Christian
faith.
Some Lutherans have stated that confirmation is: "a
pastoral and educational ministry of the church which helps
the baptized child through Word and Sacrament to identify
more deeply with the Christian community and participate
more fully in its mission." More specifically, through
confirmation instruction and ministry the baptized child is
spiritually nurtured by learning the content of faith in
Christ, readying him or herself to confess this baptismal
faith, as well as learning how to examine him or herself
for receiving Christ's Body and Blood in Holy Communion.
At Baptism, the parents and sponsors make this promise: "I
will faithfully bring my child to the services of God's
house, and teach him the Lord's Prayer, the Creed and the
Ten Commandments. As he grows in years, I will place in his
hands the Holy Scriptures and provide for his instruction
in the Christian faith, that living in the covenant of his
Baptism and in communion with the church, he may lead a
godly life until the Day of Jesus Christ."
FINALLY, WE CAN SAY THAT CONFIRMATION IS: A WAY IN WHICH
OUR CHURCHES COMPLEMENT THE WORK OF CHRISTIAN PARENTS AND
SPONSORS IN FULFILLING THEIR PROMISES TO GOD.
1. EXPECTATIONS FOR OUR CONFIRMATION PROGRAM:
a. Barring
illness or emergency, students are expected to attend the
following every week (attendance will be taken!)
Confirmation Class on _________ EVENINGS, ?
Sunday Morning Worship
Sunday School Classes
If your child cannot attend a Monday class, please call
Pastor Bjornstad at 343-9828.
Not only does faithful attendance exhibit a growing trust
in our Lord and a seriousness about a student's commitment
to Him, but it also affords the opportunity for exposure to
God's Word, the Spirit's tool to cause one's faith to grow.
Christian parents and guardians will naturally support and
nurture this expectation with a faithfulness of their own.
b. Students are expected to complete their Confirmation
homework each week as assigned. This will include:
•
Various memory
& vocabulary assignments
•
Sermon reports
(two a month) to be handed in.
c.
Parents and guardians should take an active interest in
their child's studies. Pray specifically for your child's
spiritual growth through the Confirmation process. Parents
and guardians should assist their child with their memory
work by their prayers, encouragement, having the
Catechumens write out the memory work, listening to the
child's recitations, as well as asking about and checking
other homework assignments.
d. This year for the second year, we will be using the
FAITH STEPPING STONES materials… This excellent
program’s main encouragement is to strengthen the
faith dialogue between parents and teens, as well as just
keeping regular communications open. It’s motto is
“Every Night in Every Home”. Be excited about
how good a relationship you can have with your child! You
will see these sessions in the Confirmation Schedule. If at
all possible it would be important to have BOTH parents at
these sessions. Baby sitting will be arranged if needed so
that you can be there!
2. PROPER ATTITUDE: The proper attitude toward Confirmation
is a growing understanding that Confirmation is only one
step, although an important step, in the Christian
disciple's life-long growth in faith and not a graduation
from Christian education or the Christian life. The proper
attitude in the classroom is being attentive, listening and
ready to participate in questions and discussion; talking
out of turn during class, or persistently distracting the
class is not permitted.
3. RESOURCES NEEDED:
a. His or her
own Bible in an understandable translation
(Preferably New International Version - supplied)
b. Pocket folder with paper (will be supplied)
c. Catechism (will be supplied)
4. SPECIAL EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES:
a.
Confirmation/Youth Banana Cram Retreat October 21-22
(2nd
year -
required)
Choice of b. or c.:
b. Youth Servant trip - yet to be announced (probably a
weekend held in June)
c. Confirmation Camp at Camp Pioneer in June (for a week).
Sponsorships are available from the LWML if needed.
d. Church youth group activities are encouraged, but not
required.
5. TESTIMONY SUNDAY May 28 (all Confirmands are to attend
this!)
6. CONFIRMATION SUNDAY: JUNE 4 (Pentecost - attendance
required)
7. ANY TIME THERE IS A QUESTION OR CONCERN, PLEASE CALL ME
AT 343-9828. My email is: YOURPEACE@VERIZON.NET
IN CONCLUSION:
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND PRAYERS IN ALL OUR
ENDEAVORS TOGETHER. MY ONLY DESIRE IS TO SERVE YOU AND YOUR
CONFIRMANDS, THAT WE TOGETHER MIGHT LIVE ONE DAY IN THE
HEAVENLY KINGDOM OF CHRIST FOREVER!
Phil. 1:3 "I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In
all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5
because of your partnership in the gospel from the first
day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began
a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the
day of Christ Jesus."
In Christ,
Pastor Kristian Bjornstad
Pastor, Peace Lutheran Church
CONFIRMATION:
DETAILED SCHEDULE 2005-6 (subject to change!)
Mon. Sept 5 – meeting with parents alone
Mon. Sept 19 -- Faith Stepping Stones (with parents,
2nd
year optional)
Mon. Sept 26 – Faith Stepping Stones (with parents,
2nd
year optional)
Mon. Oct. 3 – Faith Stepping Stones (with parents,
2nd
year optional)
Friday Oct 10 – Review of the Bible
Mon. Oct. 17 – Review of the Bible
Fri. & Sat. Oct 21-22 -- “Captive Free”
Concert and overnight Banana Cram Retreat
Sun. Oct 30 – Pizza party and viewing of the Luther
Movie, 6 pm)
Mon. Nov. 7 – Commandments 1-3 Review
Mon. Nov. 14 – Commandments 4-6 Review
Mon. Nov. 21 – Jesus, You, and Sexuality (with
parents)
Mon. Nov. 28 – Commandments 7-10 Review
Mon. Dec. 5 – Apostle’s Creed:
1st
Article Review
Mon. Dec. 12 – Apostle’s Creed:
2nd
Article Review
Sun. Dec. 18 – Caroling with the Congregation
(break for Christmas)
Mon. Jan 9 – Apostle’s Creed:
3rd
Article Review
Mon. Jan 16 – Introducing Prayer
Mon. Jan 23 - Lord’s Prayer: Intro and
1st
Petition
Mon. Jan 30 – Lord’s Prayer:
2nd
Petition
Mon. Feb. 6 – Lord’s Prayer:
3rd
Petition (and
Vocation/Table of Duties)
Mon. Feb. 13 – Lord’s Prayer:
4th
Petition:
“Jesus, You and Money” (with parents)
Mon. Feb. 20 – Lord’s Prayer:
5th
Petition
Mon. Feb. 27 – Lord’s Prayer:
6th,
7th,
and conclusion
Mon. March 6 – Holy Baptism
Mon. March 13 – Holy Baptism
Wed. March 22 – Lenten Midweek Worship Experience
Mon. March 27 – Faith Stepping Stones (Prep for Holy
Communion – With Parents)
Mon. April 3 - Faith Stepping Stones (Prep for Holy
Communion – With Parents)
Maundy Thursday. April 13 - Faith Stepping Stones (First
Holy Communion w/Parents)
Mon. April 17 – no class!
Mon. April 24 – Holy Communion review
Mon. May 1 - Worship
Mon. May 8 – Faith Stepping Stones
(2nd
Yr.
with parents)
Mon. May 15 – Faith Stepping Stones
(2nd
yr.
with parents)
Mon. May 22 – Faith Stepping Stones
(2nd
yr.
with parents)
Sunday,
May 28 – Testimony Sunday (required attendance by
all)
Sunday, June 6 – Confirmation Sunday (required
attendance by all)
All assignments will be on the church web site:
www.yourpeace.org